My Girl and Her Arm

So we had our long-awaited appointment with the hand and upper extremity (why can't they just say arm?) specialist on Monday. It was, to be quite frank, about 180 degrees from what I expected but immediately fell in love with Dr. Fornfeist and his calm demeanor. Well, at least Tay and I did. Dave has known him for years so he wasn't exactly "struck."

To make a long story short, Taylor does not need surgery.

Can I get a hallelujah?

He really believes the hardware in her arm has been in there so long that taking it out would severely compromise the strength of the arm for at least six months minimum. In addition, bone has begun to grow over the plate, which would make "chipping away at the bone necessary".

Yes, let's all shudder at that thought together.

And back to the story...

So that chipping could lead to her arm being broken again. Best case scenario is that she has an arm that will break at the slightest fall for 6 months because of the work it would take to get the hardware out. That was an easy decision - NO WAY, JOSE.

Moving on - not having full extension in her elbow. I have to admit this is a biggie for me because, y'all, the girl is 10 (yes, I know her birthday is next month but I'm living in denial for as long as possible, thankyouverymuch) years old and it's hard for this mama's heart to just accept that she'll not have complete range of motion for the rest of her life.

Clearly, I'm not the dramatic type but still...

So Dr. F found that she's lost about 20 degrees of extension compared to her other arm. But, because her left elbow hyperextends, she only needs 10 degrees to get the arm completely straight. The problem with capsular release surgeries, which is what she would need, is that she could go in without 20 degrees and come out losing 50. There's just no guarantee.

He told me point blank, "I know without a doubt that it's possible I could make her worse. I'm not certain I could make her much better, though."

This is where the tears came - for both females in the room - but I pressed through because I needed answers and, quite frankly, have been waiting much too long to get them due to lack of proper medical care from the original physician.

So, it turns out that there's a brace called a turnbuckle splint. It looks a bit barberic because it has a giant screw in the middle that allows you to extend the arm fully a little bit at a time. So she's wearing that about 4 hours a day (give or take depending on activities, church, etc.) to slowly stretch out the tight tissue in her elbow.

Now, she does still have a ghastly scar. It is also an issue for me. But it's not for Taylor. At least right now. So I'll be on the hunt for some Vitamin E or some other type of skin therapy oil for the time being. When she's 16 and it's a big problem, we'll pay out of pocket to have it revised. It's just not worth the risk at this point to put her through another surgery.

If I'm being completely honest, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. For months I've been begging for a surgery date so I could schedule our holidays, sports, musicals, etc. around both the procedure and rehab that would follow. If you know me at all, you realize it's almost impossible to fly by the seat of my pants.

Actually, it is impossible without Him.

God has seen us through this process and I feel confident that she will be a bit better when she sees Dr. F in three weeks. I also know He led us to this doctor and the occupational therapist, who was also a friend of Dave's, because they both have a very calm and quiet demeanor which, ironically, is what my child responds to best.

I say ironically because I'm not exactly a church mouse but even I have figured out that the best remedy for Taylor when she's upset is to climb into bed with her, snuggle up and not say a word.

This entire set of events was, obviously, not my plan. It was most certainly His, though. And you know what? Good has come out of it. It cannot be denied. As always, His plan was infinitely better than mine.

But yet I still went along the path kicking and screaming at times.

Some things don't change, I suppose, but at least the tantrums are becoming fewer and farther between.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21